PRESENT DAY

Karla was in the middle of pure delirium. Stella was spending her with no mercy, and she was here for it. They’d spent much of the time fighting for the upper hand, and each one had taken two turns each at bending the other to their will, literally.

This was the third round and Stella had Karla lying down while she rode her into euphoria, whose heights Karla was just about to taste when her phone started vibrating.

“You left your phone on?”

Karla was not about to stop for anyone. It was full steam ahead over the cliff of pleasure she was within touching distance of. “Ignore it and spend me!”

Stella took her orders literally and kept going, but the phone would not stop ringing.

They both climbed together slowly as Karla pulled Stella in to passionately kiss her. Whatever it was, they’d deal with it after.

Karla pulled away and looked intensely into Stella’s eyes as they grinded against each other, holding her neck the whole time. That drove Stella mad, and she upped her tempo until they were both reaching their apices together. They both let out a loud moan as they jumped, a testament to a full night well spent. They could barely breathe as they lay nestled in each other’s arms and did their best to recover.

Karla looked up at Stella. “Yup. You definitely missed me, love.”

Stella leaned down and drew a kiss. “Eight weeks is torture, babe. You seemed more than happy to receive too.”

Karla smiled as Stella kissed her shoulders and her forehead. She looked up and deeply kissed Stella, and then they lay down. “Come to think of it, the eight weeks was your idea. Something about you having to prepare for me or some shit.”

“And you let me go through with it anyway? Girl, I did not realize how much hell it would be. You’re the only one in my whole life who makes me like this. I’m always in control, but somehow when it comes to you, I literally have no sense.”

Karla kissed her wrist, then wore a mischievous smile on her face. “So, just to be clear, you’re saying you’re my little bitch?”

Stella sighed in disgust and rolled her eyes while Karla died of laughter. “Eat my ass.”

Karla immediately paused her laughter and looked up at Stella, “Gladly.”

Then they both started laughing.

“You’re such an idiot, Kay. Such an idiot.”

******

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

Club Plasma was lit. Colored lights moved around at random, the music was popping, the drinks were flowing, and all was right in the land.

Stella sat at her table, nursing her tequila while she watched Karla putting the moves on some poor, muscular soul who probably thought he was getting her tonight. Stella looked entertained whenever Karla looked at her, but she looked worried the rest of the time. She picked up her phone and looked at the text message again.

 “Time for Phase Three. Remember where your loyalties lie.”

Karla came over to grab her drink. “Enjoying the show?”

Stella faked the best smile she could. “Yeah, yeah. The poor guy’s woodie is so obvious. Why do you torture them like that?”

Karla took a sip of her tequila and looked dead in Stella’s eyes. “For you, baby. I torture them for you.”

Stella’s face went serious and confused, and Karla laughed. “I knew that would get you, girl. Fucking with you is so fun, as is fucking with them. Why refuse if either of you give me the opportunity to?” She laughed as she went back to the dance floor with her drink in her hand.

Stella smiled, but inside of her was proper turmoil. For some reason, she’d only wanted to hang out with Karla recently, and she felt flutters in her stomach every time their hands touched. It felt almost like the first time she went out with her ex, but she wasn’t into girls. Then Karla made that joke and now she could feel knots in her stomach.

She took another sip of her drink while watching Karla continue to make the same guy suffer, and she felt even more flutters in her belly. “I’ve got to get back to dating soon.”

Just then, she got a text.

“Tonight.”

She kept her face normal, but inside of her, there was absolute pandemonium.

*****

PRESENT DAY

Carol sat in the back of the truck with the armed guards who’d taken her. She took a closer look at the badge on one of the guards’ uniform. It looked like a river and the face of some jungle cat, maybe a cheetah.

“Where are you taking me?”

No response. Five guys in this truck and no one even acknowledged her voice.

She nudged the guy right next to her. “Where are you taking me?”

He looked at her like she was a cockroach, and then looked back away.

The car pulled to a stop, and the guy put a bag over her head. She tried to fight him, but between the handcuffs, the foot cuffs and the pathetic bobbing and weaving of her head, she really stood no chance.

*****

Katherine was in the chapel at midnight, praying by herself. Unlike her father, who prayed with a loud voice and stomping feet, she prayed quietly.

She stood in front of the altar with a bottle of oil in her hand, and was about to anoint her head when she heard easy footsteps behind her. She turned, and there stood a slender man with shades on. He was barely average height, maybe even shorter than her, but he was there with two other people who were dressed in full tactical gear. They stood close to the steps of the stage and could’ve climbed them, but they didn’t.

“Katherine Benton? Bishop Katherine Benton?”

Katherine stepped down from the pulpit and went to the men. “I’m Katherine. Why have you come into the house of God with weapons of violence?”

The man smiled and adjusted his shades. “Well, I’m hoping there’s no need to use them. My father used to be a pastor, so I have some respect for the house of God. I just find that more sins are committed in places like this than in people’s homes, so I like to be prepared for each situation.”

Katherine took a seat in the front pew. “What you’re looking for will not need these weapons.”

The man stood in front of her. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because he’s been estranged for a decade. I understand why you’d think to come here though. It must be a lot of pressure to recover a captive that was lost under such ridiculous circumstances.”

The man kept smiling, but she saw his jaw tighten and the two guards look at each other.

The man adjusted his shades again. “For someone who doesn’t have who I’m looking for, you know an awful lot. I’d hate to waste such a beautiful bishop on account of her choice to lie in church.”

Katherine raised her eyebrow. “I’ve lied to you?”

“Not yet, but I wager you plan to in a jiffy.”

“I don’t traffic in that habit. I do know that your trail’s been picked up, and the police are about one minute away. I can show you how to escape if you want, but they’ll just get you guys later.”

The man took his shades off. “Your secret alarm must be top notch. We cased this whole building and never found it. I’m afraid you’ll have to come with us.”

The guards closed in while the man stood up and loomed over her. Katherine took her glasses off and began to clean them. “I won’t have to because we’re not going anywhere. Well, at least I’m not.”

Just then, armed officers filled the building like a flood. There were at least twelve men who seemed to come from everywhere. The man scanned for an escape but they were trapped.

He looked at Katherine in pure confusion.

She finally got up. “My father was nicknamed the oracle of God. I inherited double what he had. Have a nice night.”

Then she put her glasses on and walked away while the policemen did their job. Once she was out of view, she made a phone call. “You’re free and clear. Bring them home.”

Well, who did Caris’ sister just get arrested? And where is Carol being taken to?